


Harry likes shiny things.

by S2_501



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, Kinda a Draco bday fic?, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, POV Harry Potter, first meeting re-write, first year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24551413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S2_501/pseuds/S2_501
Summary: When you grow up without much, you learn to appreciate the little things.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 9
Kudos: 91





	Harry likes shiny things.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn’t sleep, it’s June 5, and I wanted a Draco bday fic. Let’s pretend Harry and Draco met on Draco’s bday, so this fic makes sense. Okay, great :)
> 
> As _always_ , this is definitely unbeta’d. So forgive any mistakes ^^

Harry liked shiny things.

He had a gum wrapper stuffed into the corner by his bed that he hid when he was five. He liked taking it out and playing with the texture. Over time the foil side of the wrapper would rub off into his fingers. He’d pretend it covered him all over and hid him, like a suit of armour. Or an invisibility cloak!

A 5p coin had rolled under the gap of this cupboard when he was six. He would spend hours imagining the things he could buy with such a shiny piece of precious material. _Sweets_ , his mind would say. Some days it would be sour sweets, like the flying saucers, other days he’d want a Freddo. But Harry was smart. He didn’t spend it; didn’t waste it. He could wait, until he had more and more and more! 

By the time he was seven he managed to find more coins, amounting to about £1.60. Enough for a child fare bus ticket, far _away. Away. Away._

However, where could he go? He didn’t know much about anything farther away than his primary school. He was much too short to see what was happening outside the bus window when he was lucky enough to find an empty seat not next to his aunt or cousin. The local park he liked to hide in was just next to Mrs Figg’s house on the corner, so that obviously didn’t count.

In his child mind, that small sum of £1.60 could take him somewhere far! He supposed it would take him to Nottingham, where he could meet Robin Hood and his Merry Men! He could— he could… _run through the forest! Jump through fences, dodge trees to get_ away away away.

He was ten when he realised how futile his hopes were. £1.60 was only enough to get him to the town centre, never mind a different city. No matter, he finally saved up £15. Child fare was cheap, and he definitely looked under ten. He could probably pass off as key stage one with how short he was. The only trouble was, how could he manage to convince someone to pretend to be his guardian so he could finally go away? _Away. Away._

When he was eleven, he realised his plans needed changing. He had _magic_ . Could he _fly_? _Teleport_? Would he be able to travel far without worrying about how much he had to pay?

It was in Madam Malkins that Harry saw another shiny thing. That wasn’t round or hard or easy to lose. Bright yellow hair, almost white. Blue eyes, so pale they were almost grey. Sparkling and directed at _him_!

“Hullo. Hogwarts too?” The boy asked.

Harry only blinked at the boy. Stunned that someone would speak to him. People never initiated conversations with Harry. He was dull, dirty and unwanted. It’s why he was so drawn to shiny things. He wanted something precious, as if it would make up for how worthless he felt he was. But this boy, this bright, _shiny_ boy was talking to him!

“Today’s my birthday, so I’m getting new robes. I’ve grown an inch, you see!” He continued, bouncing on his heels, seeming to irritate the tailor-witch with a measuring tape as she fussed around him.

 _Oh_ , Harry thought, _his smile is shiny too_.

Harry was eleven when he found a new shiny thing to keep.

“Yes. I’m going to Hogwarts too. Happy birthday.” He finally managed to say.

The boy practically vibrated as sparkles radiated from him. _Magic,_ Harry thought, pleased to see it in person. _It’s real_. As if he needed more evidence after seeing a _wall move_.

“My name’s Draco Malfoy. How do you do?” He stuck his hand out.

Harry stretched his hand out toward Draco and shook it, “I’m Harry. Pleased to meet you.”

* * *

It would be in later years that Harry would make this shiny boy forever his. And they would live in a very dull home, tarnished by the past. But that’s okay, they’d work their way towards brightening it over time.

**Author's Note:**

> I can just picture little Harry watching in on Dudley’s Disney nights. Finding solace that someone out there was a hero like Robbin Hood.
> 
> Original lyrics to Roger Miller’s _Oo-De-Lally_ that i altered:  
> “Robin Hood and Little John  
> Runnin' through the forest  
> Jumpin' fences, dodgin' trees  
> An tryin' to get away”


End file.
